The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has reiterated its commitment to upholding the integrity of academic titles in the country’s tertiary education space by continuing its scrutiny of the misuse of honorary doctorate and professorial titles.
According to the Director-General of GTEC, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, this effort is aimed at preserving Ghana’s longstanding reputation for academic excellence. He emphasized that academic titles such as “Doctor” and “Professor” must be earned through rigorous academic processes—not bestowed or adopted indiscriminately.
“If we fail to check the indiscriminate use of unearned academic titles, we risk undermining the value of our education system. Soon, everyone will be calling themselves ‘Dr’ or ‘Prof,’ and Ghana's academic credibility will be called into question,” he said in an exclusive interview with Daily Graphic.
Prof. Abdulai clarified that honorary academic titles should not appear under educational qualifications on CVs, stating that doing so constitutes a serious misrepresentation. “It is illegal—and at worst, criminal—to claim an academic title you have not earned,” he stressed.
Addressing Proliferation of Fake Titles
The Commission’s recent actions follow a worrying rise in the use of honorary academic titles conferred by unaccredited institutions. Some individuals have even used these titles to secure academic positions and assume leadership roles in educational institutions, raising concerns about the quality and integrity of education delivery.
“We have noticed individuals brandishing honorary titles, including professorships, as though they were earned through academic merit. This dilutes the intellectual environment and misrepresents one's credentials,” Prof. Abdulai noted.
Clarifying Misconceptions of Bias
In response to concerns about selective enforcement or political targeting, the Director-General clarified that GTEC’s actions are non-partisan and based solely on the misuse of titles. “GTEC is not interested in disgracing anyone. We are not engaged in selective name-shaming or targeting any political group,” he emphasized.
He explained that the Commission only intervenes when individuals officially or publicly adopt such titles—for instance, appearing on television with unearned academic designations or including them in official documentation.
Engagement Over Enforcement
Prof. Abdulai shared that the Commission prioritizes engagement with individuals found to be misusing titles. Many, he said, have voluntarily removed such titles after being made aware of the implications. “Our goal is not to name and shame, but to educate and preserve the standards of our education system,” he added.
He noted that some individuals have already made corrections, removing honorary titles from websites and public profiles. “Some who were referred to as ‘Professor’ have reverted to ‘Doctor,’ and others have removed ‘Doctor’ entirely where it was not earned,” he said.
GTEC’s initiative forms part of a broader agenda to maintain quality assurance and uphold the value and trust associated with Ghana’s tertiary education credentials.